Let's Make A Bet
by Metamorcy
Summary: The blond wasn't sure if he hated those words or not but, considering its Reno of all people, Cloud tended to lean towards the later. Mostly fluff. Rufus/Cloud


Summary: The blond wasn't sure if he hated those words or not but, considering its Reno of all people, Cloud tended to lean towards the later.

Beta'd by Pure Red Crane

* * *

"Let's make a bet, Cloud!"

The blond wasn't sure if he hated those words or not but, considering its Reno of all people, Cloud tended to lean towards the later. However, there was no doubting the _'minuscule'_ thrill that ran down his spine whenever they made an interesting wage and he came out on top. It was...fun at times, exciting too. And strangely, Reno actually gave evenly good bets, though Cloud had to be careful to not accidently slip up, considering the red head didn't care about playing dirty.

Still, the winnings Cloud received was quite pleasant, ranging from information to special bargains and even items Cloud sometimes required for his sword and bike maintenance. It was helpful materials that would have cost more than he was willing to pay for, despite having the actual money to afford it.

As for the times Reno won (because its Reno and Cloud knew he couldn't win all the time), the Turk got little tidbits about Cloud's private life, hidden materia locations the blond had found during his explorations of the world, and sometimes the request for the most randomness things. A few times, Reno called Cloud to take a job for him that the Turk didn't want to touch. It wasn't difficult, just kill some powerful monsters, though the blond could see how a regular unenhanced person could find trouble. So, Cloud completed it and moved on. If he got some payment out of it, despite him losing the bet, yay for him.

This latest one, however, left him going _'Fuck'_.

Cloud shouldn't have agreed to this bet in the first place, but he had, and he regretted it completely.

 _"I want ya to kiss Rufus Shinra for five minutes if I win."_

It had been a strange request to begin with, but it wasn't anything new from Reno. He suspected the red head wanted to either prank his boss or mess with him (Cloud too while Reno was at it).

Without thinking much, Cloud agreed, mentally preparing himself for his part of the bet.

Sadly, he had lost.

Sorely.

Cloud sighed heavily, staring at the accursed door to the interior of Healin Lodge. Rufus Shinra, of all people to actually kiss, and his Turks were all behind this very door. For a few seconds, he was tempted to just run away and deny this whole business, but well, he was a man of his words. Reno has always kept up his part of the deal, even when the red head hated it and it went against his Turk policies with the others (one request had been made out of curiosity on Tseng's personal nature and Reno had given away something extremely private regarding the Wutaian). So, Cloud would do this, make it quick, and move on.

He just hoped nothing would happen because of... _this_.

At least, it was a man and not a woman. That would have made things ten times worse. He's gay and he knows it (took a long time for him to realize it after the mix up with Zack's memories), which is something Reno had managed to cunningly wheedle out of him.

But well, this is Rufus Shinra he's going to kiss...

Again, of all people Reno wanted him to do.

Gathering all the strength he could get, Cloud knocked on the door and pushed it open. They were already aware of his presence, his bike's motor easy to recognize from a distance, and inside the first room stationed all four Turks. Tseng was always the professional one along with Rude while Elena and Reno were on the couch, smiling at each other like they had just finished some humorous conversation (Cloud swore if it was about him, he was going to kill Reno next time).

"Ah, Cloud, you're here." Tseng was the first to speak up, stepping forward with his hands pressed together before him. "I take it that everything went well?"

Cloud nodded, holding up the package he had been tasked to deliver and handed it over to the Leader of the Turks. As he did so, his blue eyes briefly met up with Reno's, who just grinned and gave a thumbs up. This just caused him to sigh, profoundly so. Well, best to get this over and done with. "Hey, Tseng, where's Rufus? Need to talk to him for a second."

Ignoring Reno's overly noticeable grin, Tseng answered the question. "He's in his office. Is there any particular reason as to why?" The look Cloud received was full of surprise and distrust. Though the relationship between the two groups had gotten better over the years, closer too, there would always be a rift. Reno had done his best to fix part of it regarding Cloud, the bets mainly, and had actually succeeded. Cloud couldn't quite call the red head a friend, but he was slowly making his way there.

The blond male nervously scratched the back of his head. "I...can't really say. Just, could I?"

"Sure, you can, Spiky!" Reno, deciding to step in, hopped up from his seat and rounded Cloud, immediately pushing the poor blond towards the door to the right. "He's right inside waiting for ya. And remember, five minutes, yo."

"Reno, when this is over, I'm going to actually kill you." Cloud sneered just as he opened the door. He could see Rufus standing on the other side, far away from the door, and spun around from where he had been gazing out the window. The surprise in those blue eyes was so obvious from the way they widened and how his lips slid open just slightly. It was gone soon after as the ex-President collected himself, silent as he watched the proceedings inquisitively.

Regardless, it was clear Rufus was _not_ in on this so-called bet, clearly a victim as much as Cloud himself.

Reno just laughed, ignoring Cloud's threat and Tseng's questioning in the background. "Sure, sure, whatever you say, Spiky." He gave a final push, forcing Cloud inside the room, and slammed the door shut soon after, ready to face off against his fellow Turks. Just thinking of actually explaining this little tiff in detail sounded hilarious to the red head.

Which left Cloud alone with Rufus, the end of his deal.

The ex-ShinRa President tilted his head, eyebrows narrowed suspiciously, and yet couldn't hide the shining curiosity in his blue eyes. Deciding to take the bait first, he spoke. "Cloud Strife. What a surprise. I wasn't...expecting you to come and see me." Rufus held no markings of Geostigma, completely healed by the rain months ago, and was back to being dressed in his usual layers of white. There was a sense of awkwardness between the two blonds, never left alone by themselves. The only time had been years ago in the President suite and ever since, they always had someone else at their sides to act in-between. "Well, what can I help you with?"

Cloud sighed once more, trying to piece his mental strength together for this last push. He _really_ didn't want to do this, but well, a deal is a deal. He stepped closer, Rufus cautiously following until they met towards the middle, beside the ex-President's walnut desk to the left. Anxiously, Cloud rubbed his arms, still looking anywhere, but Rufus. "Look, I made a bet with Reno and lost. So, I have to do my part. Just...don't hold it against me."

Rufus stared, unsure exactly where to start with all the wrong in those few sentences. "A deal? With Reno? Of all people? I don't need to tell you that that right there is a terrible idea."

"You're telling me, but well, I was okay with the bets. They were unconventional, but strangely fun." Cloud admitted. "It's been boring the last few months. I'm not saying I want something to happen, but it helps pass the time."

Rufus could understand that. "Ah, I believe I know exactly what you mean." Apparently, having only the Turks to talk to, when they weren't even the best conversationalists or were always too busy with their work, got boring and perhaps even, lonely. He ended up having only himself for company for long stretches of time. It wasn't like he could go outside and make friends, not with his unpleasant past and hated namesake. Shaking his head, Rufus focused back onto the conversation. "So, I take it that you're talking to me because of said bet?"

Cloud nodded. There was no point in denying it. "Yeah." He stepped closer, barely able to hide his nervousness, and struck before Rufus could say anything else. He didn't need any more questioning, not when he was already about to freak out.

Forcefully pressing their lips together, closing his eyes so he couldn't see Rufus' shocked expression, Cloud mentally calculated in his mind. Five minutes. He needed to kiss Rufus for five minutes. Reno was basically asking him to make out with his boss, but Cloud wasn't quite as willing to go _that_ far. His mind was eerily silent, just numbers counting by, and using his hands to hold Rufus still, keeping the other from squirming for escape.

The ex-President's mind, however, was going ballistic. His eyes had widened considerably, completely frozen to touch. He stared a head for seconds, not really looking anywhere, trapped in the warm touch against his lips and those rough hands on his neck and shoulder.

Oh...

Reno's bet was for Cloud to kiss him. Obviously, not a simple kiss, considering Cloud was still hanging on. So... that meant...

Rufus smirked, letting that evil thought settle, already thinking up of plenty of responses.

Oh, he was _soooo_ going to take advantage of this.

With a quick tug of his hand, Rufus spun their bodies around, breaking the kiss automatically. The bright flush on Cloud's cheeks was adorable and Rufus drank in the sight. It wasn't often one could see the normally stoic male break in such a delightful fashion.

"R-Rufus?"

His name was just enough to get the ex-President chuckling, adoring the way it sounded on Cloud's lips. Rufus had the younger blond's backside pressing up against his lovely desk, his body purposefully encasing the other and trapping him right where he wanted him. He grinned at the little squawk that escaped Cloud's lips. "That wasn't a kiss, Cloud. Let me show you a real one."

"W-Wh-?"

Rufus attacked, using Cloud's momentary surprise to his benefit. He kept a firm grip on Cloud's right cheek, keeping the other male from resisting, and carefully slipped his tongue inside, rolling along the top of that hot mouth. He earned a shiver, feeling it underneath his fingertips, and broken moan in return. It's been a long time since he's had any, but his skills in this department had never gone away. Within seconds, Rufus had Cloud a fumbling moaning mess of a man, hands clenching his white jacket for leverage, tugging at the seams for attention.

Cloud was desperately gasping for breath, moaning softly as that skillful tongue tore him apart. He tried to pull away, but Rufus cunningly followed, as if predicting his movements, their lips never detaching once. The worst part was that it felt bloody good. His nose, at this closeness, could pick up the strong scent of cologne, of shampoo, of the breath mints that Rufus had apparently taken just moments before, and with their bodies pressed tightly together, he could literally feel Rufus' body heat through the layers of white.

Rufus continued his little rampage, his right hand keeping Cloud exactly where he wanted him, while his left trailed down over the younger blond's lithe form. He was tempted for a moment to pull the zipper of the vest down, but decided to not chance it... _yet_. Instead, his hand went to the thighs, driving Cloud roughly against the desk and with his hips, grinded, _hard_. The chocked moan that filtered through Cloud's throat was his just reward. A tightened grasp on his shoulders followed, hurting just a bit, but that didn't deter Rufus. He pressed down a couple more times, purposefully rolling his hips just right for that wonderful friction.

Cloud was practically shaking, overwhelmed, eyes squeezed tightly shut. It felt so good, his toes curling inside his boots, and his back arching just enough that he placed a hand onto the desk to keep himself upright. He had long started kissing back, molding his mouth perfectly against Rufus', their tongues tangling.

He was enjoying himself, practically loving it. He didn't mind the way Rufus's hands began to slide up and down his body, toying at the helms of his shirt or pants.

It wasn't until moments later that he remembered that this is _Rufus Shinra_ he was currently making out with.

The second that thought forced its away though his bleary mind, Cloud immediately shoved Rufus back, using his SOLDIER strength to do so, his hands out before him for protection, blue eyes wide. Rufus returned the surprised stare, unbothered that his lips were red and bruised. It was like reality had just struck them both.

Cloud's entire face burned crimson red, quickly pushing away from the desk, from Rufus, and was out the door within seconds. He practically ran out, passing the Turks waiting outside, and was on his bike, disappearing down the road.

Rufus, on the other hand, just touched his lips, able to feel the faint tingling of remembrance. He licked them, still able to taste Cloud. He could hear the motorcycle driving away, the sound getting more distant by the second, and eventually, he sighed, reaching up to run a hand through his mused hair. The loose bangs fell back into place and Rufus glanced up upon spotting Reno's bright red hair out of the corner of his eyes.

The Turk leaned up against the open door, hands in his pockets, with a wide Chester grin. He didn't speak, but it wasn't as if he needed to.

Rufus stared, blue eyes examining over those mischievous features. There was only one question in his mind. "Reno, how did you know?"

The red headed Turk smirked. "Know what, Boss?"

The other three Turks observed from the background, hidden behind the corner, and were obviously listening in. They had received some of the details from Reno regarding the bet, wanting to ensure Rufus' safety, especially when being left alone with the not-SOLDIER.

Rufus almost sighed, his right brow twitching, before turning to one side to carefully straighten his clothes. " _Reno_."

Reno chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "Unlike these emotionally-dense idiots, I can recognize these types of things." There was some protest behind, but Reno knew it to be true. Tseng was too strict and uptight, Elena too young and inexperienced, and Rude leaned towards a particular side. Reno, however, held no care and the shadowy part of the slums taught people much of the darker shades of life. "So, the real question is, boss man, are ya gonna run after your little crush?"

Rufus stared for a few seconds, eyes narrowed slightly before huffing. Spinning around, he went behind his desk, yanked open the drawer for his PHS, wallet, and car keys.

"Ah, before I forget, I placed a tracker on Cloud's bike earlier just for ya and already sent the tracker information to your phone. We all know he's too skittish for his own good." Reno called out just as Rufus went by. "Good luck, boss man! Don't take it slow!"

The ex-President huffed. "Reno. Shut up." Regardless, he was smiling, slamming the door closed behind him as he made his escape.

It was only afterwards that Tseng realized someone needed to follow Rufus for safety.

Reno, of course, just shrugged his shoulders. "Just leave those two lovebirds alone, Tseng. It'll be good for the both of them."

"Reno..."

"Unless ya want to watch, then by all means, go right ahead."

No one was quite willingly to volunteer for that duty.

Reno whistled as he went downstairs to the lower levels of Healin Lodge. Well, if the boss man screwed up this opening chance, Reno is certain he could possibly wrestle out another bet with Cloud in the future.

He just hoped he would have to use such drastic measures once more by taking a month's worth of bets again.


End file.
